Every Note Played

Every Note Played

by Lisa Genova

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago.

Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.

He knows his left arm will go next.

Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall and hung a mirror there instead. But she still hasn’t moved on. Karina is paralyzed by excuses and fear, stuck in an unfulfilling life as a piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman, blaming Richard and their failed marriage for all of it.

When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. As Richard’s muscles, voice, and breath fade, both he and Karina try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.

Poignant and powerful, Every Note Played is a masterful exploration of redemption and what it means to find peace inside of forgiveness.

From GoodReads

Review:  I've read all of Lisa Genova's books and really love how she ties in medical issues to each of her books.  I generally find them very intriguing.  This one wasn't as compelling as her other books to me.  I don't know if that is because I am more familiar with ALS than the other diseases she has written about and have read other books about ALS.  Or perhaps it was because I didn't find Richard a relatable or sympathetic character.  He was very arrogant and selfish.  While he did want to change later in the book, it almost came too late.  I also found Karina, Richard's ex-wife, to be fairly unlikable as well.  The story moved slowly even though the disease progresses quickly.  Because the disease robs Richard of control over his muscles, he isn't able to do much which makes the book slow.  We are in his thoughts much of the time which makes the book drag.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone

by Morgan Matson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Synopsis: It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting.  But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears.  All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try.  But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night?  Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn?  Sure.  Why not?

Kiss a stranger?  Um...

Emily now has the unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list.  Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny-dipping?  Wait...what?
from the book jacket

Review:  After rereading the synopsis of this book, I'm not sure what drew me to this book as it seems very teenager-y to me.  I have read young adult fiction books before and enjoyed them as some are able to span generations but this was one that I shouldn't have picked up.  It was just far too young for me.  Emily is a painfully shy main character who is so brokenhearted by her best friend Sloane's disappearance without any warning.  It was hard for me to relate to her.  Frank on the other hand seemed to be less of a teenager.  He was very mature and outgoing.  The secondary characters were more teenage like and immature.  I should have just abandoned this book but I needed to know if Emily found Sloane again and if anything happened between Emily and Frank.  I don't think this book was badly written, I just think I wasn't the right audience for it.

Rating: 3 stars

Salsa Stories

Salsa Stories

by Lulu Delacre

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Salsa music blares from the stereo.  One by one, friends and family, who come from all around Latin America, arrive at Carmen Teresa's house to cook, dance, gossip, and play dominoes.  And the New Year's Day celebration begins...

When a neighbor gives Carmen Teresa a blank notebook as a holiday present, she doesn't know how she will fill it.   The guests all have ideas of what she should do with her book.  They decide she should fill it with stories about their childhoods.  And everyone has a story to tell.  But Carmen Teresa, who loves to cook, surprises everyone with how she will use her beautiful new present.

With energy, sensitivity, and warmth, Lulu Delacre introduces readers to a symphony of colorful characters whose stories dance through a year of Latin American holidays and customs.  And readers will also be treated to recipes for the irresistible foods that appear in each story.

from the book jacket

Review:  This book is tied together by the introduction and final chapter about Carmen Teresa and her family together at a party.  The stories that are in between are about her grandparents and a few other people.  Most of the stories are about their childhoods growing up in various countries.  Perhaps short stories are not my cup of tea or I'm not the target audience but I did not find these stories particularly captivating.  I wanted more out of most of the stories.

Rating: 3 stars

The Confusion of Languages

The Confusion of Languages

by Siobhan Fallon

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:  Both Cassie Hugo and Margaret Brickshaw dutifully followed their soldier husbands to the U.S. embassy in Jordan, but that's about all the women have in common. After two years, Cassie's become an expert on the rules, but newly arrived Margaret sees only her chance to explore. So when a fender-bender sends Margaret to the local police station, Cassie reluctantly agrees to watch Margaret's toddler son. But as the hours pass, Cassie's boredom and frustration turn to fear: Why isn't Margaret answering her phone, and why is it taking so long to sort out a routine accident? Snooping around Margaret's apartment, Cassie begins to question not only her friend's whereabouts but also her own role in Margaret's disappearance.

from GoodReads

Review:  I am greatly interested in how people live in other countries and cultures so I thought I would enjoy this book about women living abroad in Jordan and what their experiences were.  I had different expectations from what this book was about.  This book really only focuses on Cassie's and Margaret's relationships with each other and a few other people.  Cassie expects the worst from everything and things everyone is dangerous.  Margaret tries to experience life in Jordan but is too carefree and doesn't consider cultural ramifications.  I didn't really like any of the characters in this book especially Margaret's husband.  I found this book a bit dull at times but also I wanted to know what happened to Margaret.

Rating: 3 stars

Close Enough to Touch

Close Enough to Touch

by Colleen Oakley

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Synopsis:  Love has no boundaries...

Jubilee Jenkins has a rare condition: she's allergic to human touch.  After a nearly fatal accident, she became reclusive, living in the confines of her home for nine years.  But after her mother dies, Jubilee is forced to face the world-and the people in it-that she's been hiding from.

Jubilee finds safe haven at her local library where she gets a job.  It's there she meets Eric Keegan, a divorced man who recently moved to town with his brilliant, troubled, adopted son.  Eric is struggling to figure out how to be the dad-and man-he wants to desperately to be.  Jubilee is unlike anyone he has ever met, yet he can't understand why she keeps him at arm's length.  So Eric sets out to convince Jubilee to open herself and her heart to everything life can offer, setting into motion the most unlikely love story of the year.

from the book jecket

Review:  This book had such an interesting premise that I had to put it on my to read list!  I loved Before I Go by Colleen Oakley that I had high expectations for this book due to the author's ease of writing and ability to make the reader feel for the characters.  Unfortunately this book did not grab me and tie me in with the emotional connection I wanted to have.  I found Jubilee's condition absolutely fascinating and was intrigued by how she dealt with it by becoming a hermit but I was not as interested in Eric's story.  The chapters alternated between Jubilee's and Eric's points of view.  I spent the early chapters of Eric's story skimming through trying to get back to Jubilee's life.  Eric really seemed to struggle connecting to people whether it be Aja, his adopted son, Ellie, his biological daughter, or Jubilee (once they met).  As the story moved along I became more invested in Eric's story because he connected with Jubilee.  I really started enjoying the story more and wanted to see Eric and Jubilee get together.  The ending was not satisfactory in my mind and was much too rushed. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Wife Number Seven

Wife Number Seven

by Melissa Brown

Genre: Romance

Synopsis:  Lipstick. Bright, red lipstick. Nothing but lipstick. 

Even though it’s against our faith to wear a color that screams of sexual promiscuity and deviant behavior, I’m not allowed to protest. 
But, I want to. 
So badly. 

You see, there’s more to me than the braid that spills down my back. 
More to me than the layers of heavy fabric that maintain my modesty. 
And so much more than the oppressive wedding band that adorns my finger--the same band that each of my sister wives wear. 
So much more. 
To protest would be sinful. 
I must keep sweet, that is my duty. 

So I’ll wear the lipstick. I’ll do as I’m told. 
And I’ll do my best to silence the resistance within me, to push him from my mind. 
If only my heart would do the same.

from GoodReads

Review:  First off I have to start by saying that this is not my typical genre although I do rarely read light sexy romances.  My review and rating will be based on my limited knowledge of this genre.  I found this book because I recently became friends with someone and discovered that she is an author.  I was curious to see what she writes so I purchased this whole series.  To be honest, stories about polygamous sects in the FLDS church really intrigue me and I am drawn to reading them.  I read this book throughout the course of a day so clearly it was engaging!  

This is the story of Brinley who is in her very early 20s and is the seventh wife to a much older man.  She lives a submissive life in an FLDS compound with an occasional trip to the outside world.  At the beginning she is somewhat accepting of her lot in life, except for one rebellion, but then changes happen in her family and she starts to think about what more there is in life.  She comes across a man who used to be part of her church but is now a drug addict and things escalate from there.  The relationship between Brinley and Porter seems to come out of nowhere but romance novels work that way!  I got caught up in the story of Brinley trying to figure out what she wanted to do.  This book is full of drama, passion, sex, and romance.  The story leaves you wanting to know more about some characters and hoping that they are the subjects of the next books in the series (which I will be reading but not sure if I will be reviewing or not)!

Based on the storyline, I would rate this book a 4 but there were some quirks with the writing style that made me lower my rating.  These were things that bothered me as a reader but may not bother other readers.  This book was written from the first person point of view of Brinley but there were a couple chapters that were from a third person point of view and were about side characters.  The information that was presented was necessary to the book but having chapters that changed perspectives was distracting.  There were also times where there were flashbacks and we knew they were coming because of the ellipses.  Those could have been left out!  There was a fair amount of swearing from one character which I don't like but other people may not mind.  Overall this was a good read for a sexy romance novel.  There were steamy moments but not too many where the book was only about that.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Orphan's Tale

The Orphan's Tale

by Pam Jenoff

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  Sixteen-year-old Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier and being forced to give up her baby. She lives above a small rail station, which she cleans in order to earn her keep… When Noa discovers a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp, she is reminded of the child that was taken from her. And in a moment that will change the course of her life, she snatches one of the babies and flees into the snowy night. 

Noah finds refuge with a German circus, but she must learn the flying trapeze act so she can blend in undetected, spurning the resentment of the lead aerialist, Astrid.  At first rivals, Noa and Astrid soon forge a powerful bond.  But as the facade that protects them proves increasingly tenuous, Noa and Astrid must decide whether their friendship is enough to save one another-or if the secrets that burn between them will destroy everything.
from GoodReads

Review:  This was a good book but not a great one.  I'm having a hard time pinpointing what didn't work for me though.  I liked the premise of the story how people who were Jewish were taken in by the circus but Astrid's and Noa's relationship didn't work.  Astrid was clearly resentful of Noa but I couldn't figure out why she was so mean and unwilling to help.  Noa was such a meek girl who somehow changed to being a strong woman willing to stand up to people.  I felt like this transition and growth in Noa was unrealistic and came out of nowhere as was the development in the relationship between Astrid an Noa.  At times this book was slow moving.  I appreciated the look at WWII from a different perspective but the book fell a little flat for me.

Rating: 3 stars

Before We Were Free

Before We Were Free

by Julia Alvarez

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  I wonder what it would be like to be free?  Not to need wings because you don't need to fly away from your country?

Anita de la Torre never questioned her freedom growing up in the Dominican Republic.  But by her twelfth birthday in 1960, most of her relatives have immigrated to the United States, her beloved Tio Toni has disappeared, Papi keeps getting mysterious phone calls about butterflies and someone named Mr. Smith, and the government's secret police regularly search her house for evidence of her family's opposition to the country's terrifying dictator.  Even the words Anita writes in her diary about becoming a woman and about a blossoming first love must be erased so that they will not incriminate her family.

As the situation on the island becomes increasingly dangerous and her family is forced into hiding, Anita must struggle to overcome her fears and fly to freedom, leaving all that she once knew behind.

from the book jacket

Review:  Before reading this book I knew nothing about the Dominican Republic's political history and the dictator, El Jefe.  While at first Anita was shielded by her family regarding the oppression and the opposition, her parents eventually decide to tell her what is going on.  Anita struggles with being scared for her family as the situation escalates in her country.  Anita goes through a lot of changes in this book as she matures during a difficult time.  There is a lot of talk in this book about Anita becoming a woman and obsessing about that plus Anita has some crushes and fixates on that.  It's hard to place an age level on this book but due to the female content plus the seriousness of the topic, I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone below junior high age.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Kira-Kira

Kira-Kira

by Cynthia Kadohata

Genre: Juvenile fiction

Synopsis:  kira-kira (kee ra kee ra): glittering; shining Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason and so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop on the street to stare, and it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow, but when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering -- kira-kira -- in the future.

from GoodReads

Review:  I appreciated the look into how a different culture, the Japanese culture, faced racism and prejudice in the United States as that is not often written about especially not in children's fiction.  I think this book would open up kids' eyes to how other people live and what they faced.  The story wasn't just about that, though, it was about Katie's and Lynn's relationship and bond as sisters.  Katie is heartbroken when her sister, Lynn, becomes sick but struggles with her feelings about it.  There were a few sections of the book that I wish would not have been included in the book as I felt like it made the book for an older audience instead of the middle grade audience that I think the book was intended for.  These sections did not add anything to be book and could have easily been left out (there were comments about adults having sex but not said so in so many words).  Overall this book was a good read but sometimes a little slow.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

by Roz Chast

Genre: Memoir, Graphic Novel

Synopsis:  In her first memoir, Roz Chast brings her signature wit to the topic of aging parents. Spanning the last several years of their lives and told through four-color cartoons, family photos, and documents, and a narrative as rife with laughs as it is with tears, Chast's memoir is both comfort and comic relief for anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents.

When it came to her elderly mother and father, Roz held to the practices of denial, avoidance, and distraction. But when Elizabeth Chast climbed a ladder to locate an old souvenir from the "crazy closet"—with predictable results—the tools that had served Roz well through her parents' seventies, eighties, and into their early nineties could no longer be deployed.

While the particulars are Chast-ian in their idiosyncrasies—an anxious father who had relied heavily on his wife for stability as he slipped into dementia and a former assistant principal mother whose overbearing personality had sidelined Roz for decades—the themes are universal: adult children accepting a parental role; aging and unstable parents leaving a family home for an institution; dealing with uncomfortable physical intimacies; managing logistics; and hiring strangers to provide the most personal care.

An amazing portrait of two lives at their end and an only child coping as best she can, Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant will show the full range of Roz Chast's talent as cartoonist and storyteller.

from GoodReads

Review:  I went into this book being a little dubious about graphic novels as they are not my normal cup of tea.  My library was challenging patrons to read books in a format that they don't normally read for the summer reading program.  This book was recommended to me by one of the librarians saying that it is appealing to everyone and bittersweet.  I'm a big fan of memoirs and I think that helped me like this book even though it is in a format that is quite different for me.  I did have trouble connecting with the main character as she did not seem to have a close relationship with her parents and that she had a hard time taking charge of the situation.  I also wonder if I'm not the right target audience for this book as, knock on wood, I'm a ways away from dealing with this situation.  Chast is pretty brutally honest in this memoir but she does so with humor but also we feel her sadness for having to acknowledge that her parents have become elderly.  I think this is a well written graphic novel memoir and that readers in the right phase of their life would really appreciate this book.

Rating: 3 stars

Star in the Forest

Star in the Forest

by Laura Resau

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Zitlally feels so along.  Papa isn't here anymore to whisper to her in star language.  Mama is always on the phone, worried.  And Zitlally's sisters are just as scared as she is.  Everyone is thinking about that day.

The day that Papa was pulled over for speeding.

The day the police found out that Papa was an immigrant without papers.

The day her family discovered that Papa would be deported.

Zitlally seeks comfort in the forest of rusty car parts behind her family's trailer.  There she finds a dirty, skinny dog with a star-shaped mark on his neck.  Soon she realizes that Star is no ordinary dog.  He's like the magical animals in the stories Papa has told her.  His fate is connected to a human's fate.

To Papa's fate.

If Zitlally can keep Star safe, Papa will stay safe, too.

When Star disappears, it's up to Zitlally and her new friend, Crystal, to find him...and save him.  Only then can Zitlally be sure that Papa, too, and make his way back home-and her family will be whole once again.

from the book jacket

Review:  Zitlally's father was just deported back to Mexico and Zitlally struggles with missing her father.  We feel her emotions as she tries to deal with not having her father around, the dynamic of the rest of her family, and the worry about how or when he is going to come back.  Zitlally finds an abandoned dog and takes care of it.  She believes that the dog is her father's spirit animal.  This book has a magical realism feel to it when the dog comes into play.  This book deals with hard issues such as deportation, abuse, neglect and more but in an accessible way and one that is realistic to how some people live in our country. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay

How Tia Lola Came to Visit Stay

by Julia Alvarez

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis:  Moving to Vermont after his parents split, Miguel has plenty to worry about! Tía Lola, his quirky, carismática, and maybe magical aunt makes his life even more unpredictable when she arrives from the Dominican Republic to help out his Mami. Like her stories for adults, Julia Alvarez’s first middle-grade book sparkles with magic as it illuminates a child’s experiences living in two cultures.

from GoodReads

Review:  This was a book about Miguel, his sister, mom and eccentric aunt from the Dominican Republic.  Miguel and his sister are dealing with not living with their father and moving somewhere where there are no other Latinos and sticking out a bit at first.  Miguel also has to deal with being embarrassed by his aunt who as I said before is quite eccentric.  This book is not very deep and problems seem to be resolved fairly simply which makes it a good book for middle elementary children.

Rating: 3 stars

The Tequila Worm

The Tequila Worm

by Viola Canales

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Sofia comes from a family of storytellers.  Here are the tales of growing up in the barrio, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions: making Easter cascarones, celebrating el Dia de los Muertos, preparing for a quincenera, rejoicing in the Christmas nacimiento, and curing homesickness by eating a tequila worm.  When Sofia is signaled out to receive a scholarship  to an elite boarding school, she longs to explore life beyond the barrio, even though it means leaving her family to navigate a strange world of rich, privileged kids.  It's a different mundo, but one where Sofia's traditions take on new meaning and illuminate her path.

from the back of the book

Review:  This was definitely a cultural look into Sofia's life growing up in a tight knit group of Latinos in Texas.  The book shares so many traditions from storytelling, cascarones at Easter, quincenera to cooking frijoles (beans).   There was humor in this book as well as sadness.  The characters are down to earth  and one that readers will connect to. There were mature topics in this book including underage drinking of alcohol, so that should factor into how young of a student reads this book plus Sofia herself is 14-16 years old when most of the book takes place so while the reading level may be a little lower, the intended audience may be higher.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel

Maximilian & the Mystery of the Guardian Angel

by Xavier Garza

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Margarito acts like any other eleven-year-old aficionado of lucha libre. He worships all the players. But in the summer just before sixth grade, he tumbles over the railing at a match in San Antonio and makes a connection to the world of Mexican wrestling that will ultimately connect him—maybe by blood!—to the greatest hero of all time: the Guardian Angel.

from GoodReads

Review:  I know absolutely nothing about lucha libre which I think was a disadvantage when reading this book as I had no background knowledge to which I could relate the events of the story.  However, there was enough other content in the story that I was able to follow along without too much of a problem and I even learned a little about lucha libre!  Max is a huge fan of lucha libre and his hero is the Guardian Angel.  This story is face paced and contains some humor.  I think this book would greatly appeal to middle grade readers, especially to those who may have seen a lucha libre match.  This book is presented in both English and Spanish with English being on the left page and Spanish on the right.  I think once kids discover this book, they will want to read the other ones in the series.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Taking Sides

Taking Sides

by Gary Soto

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Lincoln Mendoza is brown, not white.  Moving from the barrio to the tree-lined streets of the suburbs won't change that.  Tony Contreras is still his main man, and he's still loyal to his team at Franklin Junior High, even though he's playing basketball for Columbus now.  But when Franklin and Columbus are scheduled to face each other in a league game, Lincoln is worried-how can he play his best with his white friends at his new school, decked out in Air Jordans, against his old buddies in their worn-out sneakers?

When the day of the game arrives, Lincoln's own internal conflict is as intense as the battle between the two teams.  But when the game is over, Lincoln has learned something about winning-and about loyalty, about change, and about friendship.

from the book jacket

Review:  This book was published in 1991 and the language, mainly slang, in this book shows its age.  I think that kids could relate to the story about a boy who is able to move out of barrio but Lincoln seems to have moved straight into a very wealthy suburb which is less realistic.  The conflict of not knowing who to be loyal to is also relate-able but the terminology used is just too 90s (i.e. talking about Montgomery Wards!)  There is somewhat mature topics such as Lincoln having an ex-girlfriend and liking a new girl at school, theft, and fighting which makes this book a solid junior high book in my mind.

Rating: 3 stars

The Reluctant Midwife

The Reluctant Midwife

by Patricia Harman

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: The Great Depression has hit West Virginia hard. Men are out of work; women struggle to feed hungry children. Luckily, Nurse Becky Myers has returned to care for them. While she can handle most situations, Becky is still uneasy helping women deliver their babies. For these mothers-to-be, she relies on an experienced midwife, her dear friend Patience Murphy. 

Though she is happy to be back in Hope River, time and experience have tempered Becky’s cheerfulness-as tragedy has destroyed the vibrant spirit of her former employer Dr Isaac Blum, who has accompanied her. Patience too has changed. Married and expecting a baby herself, she is relying on Becky to keep the mothers of Hope River safe. 

But becoming a midwife and ushering precious new life into the world is not Becky’s only challenge. Her skills and courage will be tested when a calamitous forest fire blazes through a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. And she must find a way to bring Isaac back to life and rediscover the hope they both need to go on.

from GoodReads

Review: I enjoyed the characters I met in The Midwife of Hope River so when I saw that there was a sequel and that characters were returning, I eagerly picked this book up.  I didn't enjoy this book as much.  Becky wasn't as compelling of a character as Patience was and the story of her being a midwife was too similar to Patience's story.  Once she stopped delivering babies and starting working at the CCC camp, the story became more interesting to me.  The men she met were interesting and engaging.  The story of Dr. Blum was captivating as I wanted to know how and when he was going snap out of his catatonic state.  I found the excerpts into Dr. Blum's mind to be distracting and it was hard to tell (when listening to the audiobook) when he was talking.  I wish the story had stayed in just Becky's perspective.  I did like the ending until the last chapter when I feel that Harman thought she needed to add in some social issues that weren't present in the rest of the book.  I still enjoyed the story and would read another book about these characters if there happens to be one but this one wasn't as good as the first.

Rating: 3 stars

To see my review of The Midwife of Hope River, click here.

Traveling Light

Traveling Light

by Lynne Branard

Genre: Women's Fiction

Synopsis:  It all starts when Alissa impulsively puts a bid on an abandoned storage unit, only to become the proud new owner of Roger Hart's remains.  Two weeks later, she jumps in her car and heads west, thinking that returning the ashes of a dead man might be the first step on her way to a new life.

She isn't wrong.

Especially when Blossom, who just graduated from high school, hitches a ride with her to Texas, and Alissa has to get used to letting someone else take the wheel.  Posting about their road trip on Facebook, complete with photos of Roger at every stop, Blossom opens Alissa's eyes to the road in front of her-and to how sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never see coming...
from the back of the book.

Review:  This book was a light, easy to read but yet somewhat quirky book about Al, a thirty-something year old woman who takes a backseat in life.  She lived in the same town, still lives in her childhood home, and works for her father's newspaper in a small town.  She spontaneously decides to take a road trip to New Mexico after finding a box of ashes in a storage unit she bought.  Along the way, she meets 17 year old Blossom who asks Al for a ride.  Blossom is a free spirit but not without some baggage.  Blossom and Al have adventures along the way with the remains of Roger and Al's 3 legged dog Casserole.  Al learns to tighten the reigns on her life and just live through her trip.  This was enjoyable read with out of the box characters.

Thank you to Berkley (Penguin Random House) for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

by Bryn Greenwood

Genre:  Fiction

Synopsis: As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents.  It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight.  Struggling to raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around.  Obsessed with the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house, until one night when her stargazing causes an accident.  After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold.

By the time Wavy is a teenager, her relationship with Kellen is the only tender thing in a brutal world of addicts and debauchery.  When tragedy rips Wavy's family apart, a well-meaning aunt steps in, and what is beautiful to Wavy looks ugly under the scrutiny of the outside world.

from the book jacket

Review:  Reading about the life that Wavy and Donal had was hard as they grew up with drug addict parents who didn't care about them at all.  Wavy clearly had so many emotional issues that could only be healed by a lot of therapy.  At first the relationship between Wavy and Kellen started off as very innocent and I love how much Kellen watched out for Wavy and how Wavy changed when she was with him.  But then the relationship got stranger and much less appropriate.  Clearly Wavy needed love and any type of love was OK with her.  She needed boundaries but Kellen got not give them to her.   As the book progressed it was harder and harder to read about their relationship.  I was disturbed by the end.  This book is somewhat graphic and vulgar.  Go into this book knowing that you will be torn by what you know is wrong but what may have been the best for a character.

Rating: 3 stars

My Name is Maria Isabel

My Name is Maria Isabel

by Alma Flor Ada

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis:  For Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez, the hardest thing about being the new girl in school is that the teacher doesn't call her by her real name.  "We already have two Marias in this class," says her teacher.  "Why don't we call you Mary instead?"

But Maria Isabel has been named for her Papa's mother and for Chabela, her beloved Puerto Rican grandmother.  Can she find a way to make her teacher see that if she loses her name, she's lost the most important part of herself?

from the book jacket

Review:  This is a very basic chapter book that is very short and simple.  Maria Isabel wants to be called Maria Isabel but her teacher names her Mary and gets very angry when Maria Isabel doesn't answer to the name Mary.  Maria Isabel misses out on opportunities because the teacher doesn't use her real name.  This book just made me angry because the teacher was portrayed in such negative light but rightly so because the teacher had no patience for Maria Isabel.  I was angry reading this because as a teacher I would never disrespect a student by calling the student a different name or mispronouncing their name and I know every teacher in my school would do the same thing.  I wanted so much more from this book-more depth, more feelings, more explanations but this book is intended for a much younger audience.  I feel that this book would be appropriate for 2nd and 3rd graders but no higher.

Rating: 3 stars

The Wedding Chapel

The Wedding Chapel

by Rachel Hauck

Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance

Synopsis:  For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent and empty.  Retired football hall-of-famer Jimmy "Coach" Westbrook built the chapel by hand, stone by stone, for his beautiful and beloved Collette Greer, whom he lost so many years ago.  The chapel is a sanctuary for his memories, a monument to true love, and a testament to his survival of the deepest pain and loss.

Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart's Bend, Tennessee, to make a new life for herself in New York.  She had lots to run away from, not least of all a family history of broken promises and broken dreams.  Love catches Taylor off guard when she falls for Jack Forester, a successful advertising executive, and their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement-then to second guesses.  Jack, in spite of his very real love for Taylor, is battling his own demons and struggles to show her his true self and the depths of his love for her.

Taking a photography assignment in Heart's Bend, Taylor is thrown back into a past of family secrets buried deep beneath the sands of time.  When Taylor and Coach's journeys collide, they each rediscover the heartbeat of their own dreams as they learn that the love they long to hold is well worth the wait.
from the back of the book

Review:  From the get-go, this book did not draw me in like the other two books in this series.  I just wasn't as interested in Jimmy's life at all nor did I like the story of Taylor, Jack and Colette and they are all the main characters!  The book was so slow until two thirds of the way through.  Once you get past that, the book speeds up and becomes much more captivating.  All of a sudden I cared about the characters and what happened to them.  That aside, if I hadn't read the other books first, I would not have continued reading this series.  I felt like the Christian fiction aspect of this book didn't come into play until the end and it was on the lighter side.  The chapel is referred to in future books but I don't believe you meet any of the characters again.  This book could have been a stand alone.

Rating: 3 stars

To see my review of The Wedding Dress, click here.

To see my review of The Wedding Shop, click here.